The Week of Respect is celebrated the first week of October. During this week, we will be focusing on respect and treating others with kindness. As part of the school wide character education, students will be learn about the difference between bullying and bothering, and between telling and tattling.
“Bothering” (Conflict) – You and a friend are mad at each other; Someone says or does something unkind, whether by accident or on purpose that makes you feel mad, sad or annoyed.
“Bullying” – Is very serious – someone says or does something unkind over and over again even though you have asked them to stop and/or got help from an adult - the mad, sad or annoyed feelings are turning into nervous, scared or embarrassed feelings; Someone makes fun of you or treats you badly or differently because of the country you and/or your family are from, the color of your skin, the holidays you celebrate, the religion that you practice, the food that you and your family eat, or any way that you may look, act or learn differently than others.
Tattling = gets someone in trouble.
Telling = gets someone out of trouble.
Students will learn what they can do to help themselves or someone else in a bothering or bullying situation, such as using “I-Messages,” walking away, telling an adult, and staying with a friend or buddy.
You can assist your child in dealing with such situations by:
- Encouraging your child to report incidents to you and adults at school.
- Helping your child identify the difference between bothering and bullying.
-Ask your child how he or she has handled the situation – What Problem Solving Steps did they use?
-Coach your child in alternatives such as using “I-Messages,” and the “Stop, Go and Tell” steps.
-Work closely with your child’s teacher and other school staff such as the counselor and the principals.
-Encourage your child to seek help and report serious incidents immediately.
-Talk with your child often about events at school.
